


Just say you'll always be there

by mywarwithwords



Category: All For The Game - Nora Sakavic
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Blood and Injury, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Drug Use, M/M, Neil Josten & Matt Boyd - Freeform, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Protective Matt Boyd
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-14
Updated: 2020-05-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 19:27:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,879
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24172033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mywarwithwords/pseuds/mywarwithwords
Summary: Matt has always felt this intense sense of protectiveness over Neil especially when he sees the poor boy with deep bruises under his eyes and that constant look of composed panic. The amount of times that Matt has prayed that he could have Neil’s nightmare just to let the poor guy sleep soundly at night, is uncountable. He just never knew that someone was actually answering his prayers.Matt has a nightmare about Neil dying in Baltimore and has to make sure that his best friend is alive and breathing. This is just a Matt Boyd Appreciation Fic.
Relationships: Matt Boyd/Danielle "Dan" Wilds, Neil Josten/Andrew Minyard
Comments: 7
Kudos: 206





	Just say you'll always be there

**Author's Note:**

> Hello Everyone. This is my first Fanfic, so please go easy on me! I had this work saved on my computer for ages and didn't think that I'd ever post it but look at where I am. I hope you like it. Don't forget to comment or leave Kudos!  
> The title comes from Ben Platt's new song "So Will I". It gives me more Andreil feels but the song is so gorgeous, I couldn't not recommend it

Matt is used to the occasional nightmare. Okay, maybe he had a few nightmares when he was younger, blaming himself for his parent’s divorce. They finally stopped once his father found him sobbing in his bed one night and softly convinced Matt that his nightmares were wrong, he was not to blame. 

Other times, he’ll have nightmares of when he was doing heroin and cocaine, the hazing and addictive feeling it brought. Not being in control of the world around him. The crash and the burning effect it left him in, mentally and physically. The desperate itch to feel something, finally getting it but never feeling complete. The nightmares don’t last long but when they do, he’ll wake up with Dan by his side, let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding and bask in the knowledge that he’ll never need those drugs to make him feel something, anything ever again. He’s got the Foxes, his family for that. He knows that other members of the team get nightmares, mainly Neil and Kevin (that he knows of). 

Matt has always felt this intense sense of protectiveness over Neil especially when he sees the poor boy with deep bruises under his eyes and that constant look of composed panic. The amount of times that Matt has prayed that he could have Neil’s nightmare just to let the poor guy sleep soundly at night, is uncountable. He just never knew that someone was actually answering his prayers. 

It all happened a few months after Neil told the truth about his life and decided to stay where he belonged. The whole team was slowly trying to go back to normal but always kept an eye out for Neil, clocking his every move. They weren’t allowed to shower him in the affection and coddle him the way they wanted to because every time they even looked at Neil with a smidge of pity in their eyes, Andrew was hauling Neil away from them. Matt had to admit that Andrew was good for Neil. He now knew that Andrew would never hurt Neil and protect him with his life. The other day, the Foxes had woken to Andrew shouting at Neil as he tried to go out for a run at 5 am after taking a hard-hit during practice the night before. There was no way that Andrew would let an injured Neil run away from his problems. The Foxes peeked their heads out of their rooms just in time to hear Andrew whisper, “Yes or no?” and with a nod from Neil, Andrew put one hand in Neil’s hair and the other on his waist and lead him back into the safety of their dorm. 

Last night, the Foxes had their weekly movie night, where they tried to improve Neil and Kevin’s pop culture and movie knowledge. They had chosen “The Princess Bride” and everything was perfect, just how Matt wanted it to be. With Dan sitting in his lap, Neil within his sight, leaning softly on Andrew's shoulder and the rest of the older Foxes peacefully enjoying the movie. Matt couldn’t contain the widening smile off his face. If Dan chuckled softly because of it, there was no harm in that. The smell of buttery popcorn and Dan’s coconut scent, made is mind and body relax. The room was cast in a light glow, at that moment Matt couldn’t have been more content. This is mainly why he couldn’t understand how when he went to bed alone that night since Dan was having a sleepover with the girls, that the blissfully evening turned dramatically sour. 

Matt found himself standing alone in a dark, damp hotel room, with only the moonlight streaming in to let him see his surroundings. The stench of copper and mould filling the air, making him almost gag. On the table in the centre of the room lay a body, bloodied and bruised but he instantly knew who it was. With shaking legs, he hesitantly approached the table. There lay the broken body of his best friend. The ghastly red burn on his cheek contrasted horribly with his auburn hair. His face was so beaten up and swollen, that he was barely recognisable. His chest lay unmoving littered in scars and bruises, concaved with the number of beatings it took. If Matt looked hard enough, he could make out large boot prints bruised into the torso. There were also long violent gashes seeping blood covered his chest. Cuts and burns oozed and bleed from his arms, causing Matt to look away, eyes burning and back to Neil’s face. Neil’s eyes lay open staring at Matt with what looked like hatred in them. Matt moved forward, he wanted to close them, to at least make it look like he was sleeping, that he was still alive. When Matt’s fingers grazed the side of Neil’s face, his whole head snapped towards him, Neil’s burnt and bloody hand gripped his forearm strongly. Matt yelped and tried to pull his arm back to his chest, but Neil wouldn’t let go, instead, he spoke with blood dripping from his mouth, the moonlight making his teeth glisten. 

“You let me die”. He gargled, pulling Matt closer to his face. “I thought we were friends, Matt. Friends don’t let each other die”. Neil sprung forward, securing both his hands around Matt's neck, squeezing so hard, his wounds on his hands started to bleed again. Matt's vision started to fade as he tried to fight Neil off but didn't want to hurt him anymore. In the end, all Matt could do was wheeze out an "I'm sorry" but he was encased in darkness

Matt woke up gasping, blinking back the tears from his eyes. It felt so real. It felt so so real, but it wasn’t, right? Neil was okay. Neil was alive. They didn’t fail him, and his father was dead. He wasn’t lying dead in that dingy hotel room, blood pooling all around him. He wasn’t staring, eyes wide open and unblinking at Matt, pain evidently shining in his iris. 

Matt’s heart was pounding, and he felt like he couldn’t breathe. What if Neil was really dead though? Matt knew in his mind that he wasn’t, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something wrong. Checking the time on his phone, he knew it was past 3 am and Neil would most likely be fine, no not fine but physically unharmed. However, with the images of Neil’s blood-stained mouth and cold eyes burned in his retina, Matt jumped out of bed, pulled on a hoodie and made his way over to Neil’s dorm. He knew he would get shit from Andrew for waking them but right now he really didn’t care. He had to make sure his best friend was okay. That he wasn’t hurt. 

Knocking on the door he waited with bated breath. After a minute of silence, he knocked again louder. His heart couldn’t handle this, why wasn’t Neil answering? Banging quicker on the door, wondering if he was going to have to break it down. He barely managed not to hit Andrew in the forehead when he finally opened the door. 

“The fuck do you want?” he growled. Andrew’s hair was dishevelled and he wore soft-looking plaid pyjamas and an oversized orange hoodie that he had a sneaking suspicion wasn’t his. 

“I..N..Neil. Is Neil there?” he stammered. Words failing him, Matt easily looked over Andrew’s shoulder to try and get a glimpse of the auburn-haired menace but couldn’t see him anywhere. 

“He’s asleep, as was I before you tried breaking down the door”. Andrew’s monotone voice replied. 

“I need to see him. I need to make sure he’s okay” Matt gasped. “Please, Andrew just let me in” Matt almost begged. He knew he sounded pathetic, but he would be able to relax once he had Neil in his sight. 

“I don’t like that word.” Andrew scowls and just when Matt was about to lose his patience, he hears a soft muffled voice say “Drew, who’s at the door?”. 

Carefully not to touch Andrew, Matt all but ran into the room and nearly ploughs into Neil. 

“Matt are you alright?” Neil askes while rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, Matt would almost feel guilty about interrupting Neil’s already limited sleep but he didn’t care. All that he cared about was that Neil was living and breathing in front of him. 

His eyes searched Neil’s body up and down while Neil repeated, “Matt, what’s going on? I’m fi-“. 

“Don’t even think about finishing that sentence” he interrupted. “Can I give you a hug?” 

“What?” Neil choked, with a confused look plastered on his face. 

“Can I give you a hug?” He pleaded, his voice rising with desperation. 

“I uh yeah Matt, yeah you can give me a hug,” Neill said softly and opened his arms slightly and that was all Matt needed before he dragged Neil into his chest and tucked him under his head, smelling the shampoo that faintly smelled of vanilla. He let out a shaky breath as Neil asked: “Matt what’s going on man?”. 

Matt just squeezed Neil a little tighter and let go, stepping away slightly but moved to lay his hands on Neil’s shoulder, not yet ready to forget the physical reminder of Neil’s safety. Matt looked at Neil’s face and he saw crystal blue eyes looking back at him in despair. He knew Neil wasn’t comfortable with dealing with his own emotions no less others. It made Matt’s chest ache a bit knowing he was probably stressing Neil out more with his silence. 

“I had a nightmare. It was… We were back in Baltimore but only this time, we lost you. You were… He killed you, Neil. We were too late and you were dying. We failed you”. 

“You… You had a nightmare about me dying? Why?” Was Neil really such a fool? How could he still not know how much he meant not only to Matt but the whole team?

“Neil” he exasperated. “Neil, you’re family now, not just some player on a team. We need you, Neil, we need you for more than just Exy, you’re our friend and we need you in our lives”. 

“Ohh,” Neil said softly, looking down at the floor. Behind Matt, he heard someone scoff and that broke the spell for both Matt and Neil. Matt had forgotten Andrew was in the room, witnessing verbal vomit of emotions. 

“I better go, we have practice in the morning. Sorry for waking you guys up. I just...yeah. Night Neil, night Andrew”. With that Matt quickly left the dorm, slightly mortified but more at ease with himself. As he was about to enter his dorm, he heard the sound of a door squeaking and a voice speak up. 

“Thanks, Matt. For caring enough to have nightmares about me. It’s a sweet gesture I think?” Neil’s face scrunched up in confusion and all Matt could do was laugh. 

“No problem buddy, just do me a favour and never get into a situation like that again”. 

“But where’s the fun in that?” 

“Neil, so help me-” 

“Night Matt”. Neil interrupted, with a smirk on his face.

“Night Neil”.


End file.
